by dds2017 | Nov 6, 2025 | Blog, Dental Information, Dental Topics 5
Receding gums not only look unattractive, they can harm your health. If you notice that your gums are receding, ask your dentist for help so that you can reverse the problem instead of allowing it to worsen. The goal is to catch gum recession early and get it under control before it turns into periodontal disease.
What exactly is gum recession? It’s the condition in which the outer tissue on a tooth begins to wear away toward the root, leading to exposure of your tooth enamel and eventually your tooth’s root. If untreated, receding gums lead to periodontal disease. The best way to avoid this problem is to prevent it from starting in the first place. This is easily done by performing good oral hygiene techniques. Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush using a circular motion and mild pressure. Also, floss your teeth every day.
If you see that your gums are starting to recede, it’s likely that practicing better dental hygiene will restore your gum health over time. A deep cleaning by your dentist will help kick-start your hygiene routine at home. In some cases, an even deeper cleaning called root planing may be necessary.
For more advanced cases of gum recession, your dentist may need to take tissue from other areas and use it to cover exposed roots. This can boost your gum tissue and make it healthy again. If you experience pain and increased sensitivity due to exposed roots, your dentist may prescribe medications to help.
The main thing to remember about receding gums is that quick action is important. Good dental care is key in both preventing it and in correcting the problem after it has begun. If you notice that your gums are pulling away from your teeth or experience sensitivity, start the healing process as soon as possible by asking your dentist for treatment advice.
Do not let another day go by without taking care of your dental needs. Request an appointment now at our McDonough dental office!
by dds2017 | Oct 30, 2025 | Blog, Dental Topics 5, Family Dentistry
Life often seems to speed by, especially when you have children. Multiple appointments, lessons, meetings, and activities can make it feel like you’re constantly on the go. If you’re finding yourself constantly shuttling kids from one place to another, a family dentist could help streamline your schedule and bring convenience to your family’s dental care.
Family dental practices have grown in popularity for their ability to meet the needs of every family member, offering continuity of care over the years. A family dentist who has treated a patient since childhood can provide more personalized and comprehensive treatment as they have a thorough understanding of the patient’s dental history.
Having multiple dentists for each family member can lead to more time spent driving across town, adding stress and inconvenience to your day. A family dentist can consolidate all appointments, sometimes scheduling them back-to-back, making it easier for you to get everyone seen in one trip.
Waiting rooms can be a challenge, especially with young children. Family dentists are aware of this and often provide age-appropriate distractions like toys, games, and books to keep kids entertained. They may also offer amenities like complimentary drinks, massage chairs, and entertainment options to make your wait more enjoyable.
By choosing a family dentist, you’ll not only simplify your life but also ensure that your entire family receives excellent oral care in a comfortable and convenient setting.
Take the first step towards a confident smile. Contact our McDonough dental office to schedule your consultation!
by dds2017 | Oct 23, 2025 | Blog, Invisalign
As an adult, the thought of wearing traditional metal braces can be less than appealing. Images of middle schoolers with mouths full of metal and colored bands are far from the professional image many adults want to project. If you have crooked teeth or bite issues, though, what are your options? Invisalign is often the perfect solution for adults seeking a discreet way to straighten their teeth.
How Invisalign Works
Invisalign is a system of clear plastic trays, or aligners, that gradually straighten your teeth without the use of metal brackets or wires. The aligners are worn for a minimum of 22 hours per day, and as each tray completes its task, it is replaced by a new one to continue the transformation.
Why Invisalign is Ideal for Adults
The clear aligners are nearly invisible, making them ideal for adults who want to avoid the stigma associated with traditional braces. Whether you’re at work or in social situations, Invisalign allows you to straighten your teeth without drawing attention. You can easily remove the aligners while eating, so there’s no need to worry about food getting stuck in brackets. After rinsing your mouth, simply pop the aligners back in.
Easy Oral Hygiene with Invisalign
Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are removable, which makes oral hygiene easy. You can brush and floss your teeth as usual, ensuring a cleaner mouth and fresher breath. Flossing with traditional braces can be difficult and time-consuming, but with Invisalign, cleaning your teeth is a breeze.
These benefits, along with the ability to straighten your teeth discreetly, make Invisalign the ideal choice for adults looking to improve their smile. Visit your orthodontist to learn more about how Invisalign can work for you.
Take the first step towards optimal oral hygiene. Reserve your dental appointment at our McDonough dental office now and experience personalized care.
by dds2017 | Oct 16, 2025 | Blog, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Topics 5
If you are unhappy with your smile, porcelain veneers are a cosmetic dentistry solution that can give you a flawless and beautiful set of teeth. Veneers have become a popular choice for improving appearance without the need for major or invasive procedures. Here are some key things to know about porcelain veneers if you’re considering them as a way to fix an imperfect smile.
Difference Between Veneers and Crowns
Veneers are designed to enhance your smile without removing or altering your natural teeth significantly. In contrast, crowns involve removing a large part of the tooth structure to build an entirely new tooth. If you’re looking for a minimally invasive option, veneers are an excellent choice.
Natural Appearance
Porcelain veneers are custom-made to fit your smile perfectly, giving you a natural and healthy look. Porcelain has a translucent quality that mimics real teeth, ensuring your smile looks realistic. Additionally, porcelain resists stains, and any minor discoloration can easily be polished off during regular dental cleanings.
Permanent Solution
Porcelain veneers are a permanent solution, so it’s important to be satisfied with their color, size, and shape before they are bonded to your teeth using dental cement. Once veneers are in place, they cannot be changed or altered.
Requires Healthy Teeth
Your dentist will perform a thorough examination to determine if veneers are the right option for you. Certain dental or oral health conditions may make veneers unsuitable, so your teeth and gums must be healthy for a successful procedure.
Cosmetic Dentist in McDonough
by Dr. Adkins | Oct 9, 2025 | Blog, Dental Topics 4, Implant Dentistry
The Solution to a Perfect Smile
When it comes to oral health, maintaining healthy teeth and gums is paramount. However, sometimes circumstances beyond our control can lead to dental problems such as decay and tooth loss. Dental implants offer a solution to these problems, providing patients with a comfortable and natural-looking replacement for their missing teeth.
What Are Dental Implants
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots composed of titanium. They are surgically placed into the jawbone beneath the gum line where they fuse with the bone over time, becoming a permanent fixture in the mouth. Once healed, an abutment is attached to the implant which then holds a dental crown or bridge in place.
Importance of Oral Health
Your oral health affects your overall health and well-being. Poor oral hygiene can lead to various health issues such as gum disease and tooth decay which have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, respiratory infections, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Regular visits to the dentist along with daily brushing and flossing can help maintain good oral health.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer numerous benefits for those who have lost teeth due to injury or decay:
- Natural Appearance: dental implants look and feel like natural teeth.
- Better Chewing Ability: with dental implants in place you can enjoy all your favorite foods without discomfort or difficulty chewing.
- Bone Preservation: when you lose teeth, bone loss can occur in your jawbone leading to further dental complications; however,dental implants preserve bone density by stimulating it just like natural teeth do.
- Prevents Gum Disease: Gaps between teeth can make it difficult to clean, increasing the risk of gum disease. Implants fill these gaps, making it easy to keep your teeth and gums clean.
The benefits of dental implants go beyond just the physical aspects. Patients have also reported improved self-esteem and a newfound confidence due to their newfound perfect smile.
Understanding Dental Implants
Procedure for Getting Dental Implants
The process for getting dental implants involves several steps, starting with a consultation with a dentist. During this initial visit, your dentist will evaluate your oral health and determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implant surgery. If you’re deemed eligible, your dentist will then begin preparing you for surgery by taking X-rays or CT scans to assess bone density and determine where to place the implant.
Before surgery can take place, it’s important to prepare properly in order to ensure successful placement. This may involve taking antibiotics or pain medication leading up to surgery day as well as avoiding certain foods or drinks that could interfere with healing.
Once preparation is complete, implant placement can begin. Depending on factors such as bone density and gum tissue thickness, either local anesthesia or sedation may be used during surgery.
During implant placement, an incision is made in the gum tissue where an artificial root is placed into the jawbone according to precise measurements taken through advanced imaging technology. Following implant placement comes healing which can last anywhere from several weeks up until several months depending on individual differences in health status including age, diet habits etc.. Throughout this time period there will be regular check-ups and follow-ups to ensure proper healing of the implant site as well as to monitor oral health.
Improving Oral Health with Dental Implants
Restoring missing teeth
One of the most obvious benefits of dental implants is that they replace missing teeth. When you lose a tooth, the bone beneath it can start to deteriorate. This can lead to a sunken face and difficulties with chewing and speaking.
By replacing missing teeth with dental implants, you can help prevent bone loss and maintain a healthy jawbone. Dental implants also look and feel like natural teeth, so you won’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious.
Improving speech and pronunciation
Missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures can make it difficult to speak clearly. This is because your tongue needs something to press against in order to form certain sounds, such as “t” or “s”. By filling in gaps with dental implants, you can improve your speech and pronunciation, which in turn can boost your confidence.
Enhancing chewing ability
When you have missing teeth or poorly fitting dentures, eating certain foods can be painful or difficult. Chewing on one side of your mouth for an extended period of time can cause strain on your jaw muscles. Dental implants allow you to eat a wider variety of foods without pain or discomfort.
Preventing bone loss
As mentioned earlier, when a tooth is lost the bone beneath it begins to deteriorate over time if not replaced by an implant or another device . This process is called resorption which leads to the shrinking of the jawbone. Dental implants are placed directly into the jawbone which helps stimulate the growth and development of new bone tissue.
Preventing gum disease
Gum disease is caused by bacteria that build up on your teeth over time if proper oral hygiene practices are not followed regularly. These bacteria attack the gums and cause them to become inflamed, which can eventually lead to tooth loss. Dental implants are easy to clean and maintain, which can help prevent gum disease from developing.
Maintaining healthy teeth and gums with dental implants
To keep your dental implants healthy and functioning properly, it’s important to practice good oral hygiene habits. This includes brushing at least twice a day with a soft-bristled brush, flossing daily, and using mouthwash as directed.
Regular visits to the dentist for cleanings and check-ups are also essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. By taking care of your dental implants, you can enjoy a healthier, more confident smile for years to come.
Caring for Dental Implants
Daily care routine for dental implant maintenance
After getting dental implants, it is essential to maintain proper oral hygiene to avoid any complications. A daily care routine should be established and followed meticulously. Brushing and flossing regularly are two critical components of maintaining good oral health with dental implants.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a non-abrasive toothpaste twice a day to brush your teeth gently. To avoid harming the gums, use a mild circular motion while brushing the implant area.
Brushing techniques
When brushing, concentrate on the crown surfaces, making sure that you do not miss any spots around the implant area. Clean each tooth’s surface thoroughly by holding your brush at an angle, making small circular motions on top of your teeth in front and back of the hole in your mouth.
Flossing techniques
Flossing is equally important as brushing to prevent gum disease around dental implants. Cleaning between the teeth ensures that no food particles or harmful bacteria remain stuck in crevices inaccessible by a toothbrush or mouthwash. Patients can use waxed floss or unwaxed floss tape or nylon thread for cleaning between their teeth.
Mouthwash use
Mouthwashes can provide additional cleaning capabilities after brushing and flossing with traditional techniques. Using antibacterial mouthwash daily can help reduce inflammation in your gums and keep bacteria at bay.
Follow-up care after implant placement
After receiving dental implants, it’s crucial to visit your dentist regularly to ensure you’re following correct care practices, check on healing progress and monitor overall oral health status comprehensively.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Dental implants revolutionized dentistry by offering an excellent solution for missing teeth issues while contributing significantly to the overall oral health of individuals. Proper care is critical to ensure the dental implants last a lifetime without any complications.
Maintaining regular dental check-ups and following proper brushing and flossing techniques are just a few steps you can take towards optimal oral health with dental implants. Remember, prevention is better than cure, so don’t neglect your oral hygiene!
Ready to transform your smile? Schedule your appointment today at our McDonough dental office.
by dds2017 | Oct 2, 2025 | Blog, Dental Topics 5, Oral Surgery
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and the last adult teeth to erupt into the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth, two on the bottom and two on top. Many people do not have enough room for these molars to emerge completely, causing them to become impacted in the gum. Impacted wisdom teeth are difficult to clean, making them more susceptible to decay and disease. Other dental problems caused by impacted wisdom teeth include pain, damage to surrounding teeth, and bite alignment issues. For these reasons, your dentist may recommend having the impacted teeth removed to prevent future problems.
Surgery to extract an impacted wisdom tooth or set of wisdom teeth is usually an outpatient procedure done in your dentist or oral surgeon’s office. If the tooth or surrounding area are deemed to have an infection prior to the procedure, surgery will be delayed, and your dental professional will likely prescribe antibiotics to help heal the area.
On the day of surgery, local anesthesia will be administered to numb the area where the extracted tooth will be removed. Depending on the severity of your case, your dentist or oral surgeon may also utilize a general anesthetic.
Once the anesthesia has taken effect, an incision will be made to open up the gum and any bone blocking the tooth will be removed. Your dentist or surgeon will then separate the tissue connecting the bone to the tooth and extract the tooth. Some teeth are too large to remove in one piece, in which case your surgeon will cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove. Finally, the incision is closed with stitches and packed with gauze to help alleviate bleeding.
Long-term complications from impacted wisdom tooth surgery are rare. To ensure a successful recovery from this or any oral surgery, be sure to follow all aftercare instructions provided by your dentist or oral surgeon.
Do not wait any longer. Book your appointment now and achieve the smile you have always wanted. Dr. Adkins is accepting new patients from McDonough and the surrounding area.